Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-11-18

happiness OF Weuueu ITO DO O"JOJ NN
by two such trusting and loving
hearts.
That night after supper as we sat
on the porch enjoying our cigars
and the cool breeze from the gulf,
/ said:
"Now Pres, for the story
about the magi who put you in
possession of such pretty and IN.
terestiDg wife and children, and
such a cozy, and comfortable home.'
"Well," he commenced, "the last
letter you received from me l was
with Cooper and Baily, wasn't p
EYES," l SAID.
"Well, quit them after one sea-
son, and followed de fairs. | had
pretty good success, for you see a
balloon is a drawing card to coun'
try fairs and the managers didn't
mind paying me fancy prices. Well,
seven years ago last fall came to
Jacksonville to make ascensions
during the far. | was IN a pretty
bad fix financially, having just re-
covered from three months spell
of fever in Mobile, which nearly
lett me broke. Well, 1 was to make
six ascensions for $500. l got to
Jacksonville on Saturday, and l
made my first ascension on Mon.
day; it was also my last. had
not fully recovered my strength,
and should not have attempted
a high ascension but | never
thought of that, and inflated my
old balloon until she was as tight
as a drum. She shot upward like
a rocket, and a strong wind caught
her and sent her southwark in a
hurry. She began to descend in
about a mile and a halt from town,
and ! thought sure she would come
down right IN a thick wood, but she
missed that and came down in a
tree in the backyard of a farm
house. Well, when ] got in fifty
feet of the tree top l quickly I'M
hooked the life lines from my waist
and prepared to catch a limb. You
know | never use life lines, but |
was so weak could hardly set on
the bar that day and l thought 1t
best TO use them. Well | succeed
ed IN catching hold of limb, but
was so weak and exhausted that |
could not retain my grasp, so l
went tumbling down through the
tree like squirrel that had been
shot. | fell heavily on my left side
and broke my left leg just above
the ankle. A gentleman who was
standing in the rear door of his
house and saw me coming down,
was at my side the moment |
struck the ground. Finding that
my leg was broken, he ran TO the
house and rang the farm bell,
which soon brought some hired
men from a field, who carried me
into the house and deposited me on
the bed, after which one of them
mounted horse and started in hot
haste after a physician. The gen.
tleman who had first come to my
assistance, and to whom the farm
belonged, said to me:
"My friend, you have met with Il
pretty serious accident, and l am
truly sorry for you. The wagon
which followed you from town to
carry you and your balloon back,
is at the gate; but you need not
90 unless you wish, for you are
more than welcome to remain here
until you recover"
l thanked him as we'll as my sui
fering would allow, and informed
him that 1 certainly preferred re-
naming where [ was, If it would
not be too great an Inconvenience
to him and his family.
"NO Inconvenience at ALL" he
cheerfuIly replied +; just make your
self easy on that point. All the
women folks are in town attending
the fair. When they return, we
will try and make you more com.
Portable"
The doctor came and set my
broken limb, after which got
along nicely, though it was three
months before l could again walk
without my crutch.
Well, after had fully recovered
and was able to work, told the gen
tleman that IL he would give me en-
plOymeDt on his farm that | would
quit the balloon business and turn
granger. tie offerad me Sl5 a
month and my board, which / glad.
ly accepted, and | worked for HIM
twelve months. | tell you it was
terrible hard on me working for
$15, month, when | had always
made more than that a day"
dwell, what in creation did you
do it furT' | said, thinking that he
had acted very fOOlishly.
"Well, you see" he replied, "the
old gentleman had beautiful
daughter who, by her kindness aud
attention to me while was Grip
pied. and her dutiful, affectiOnate
consideration for her parents COM
pIeteIy won my heart. soon dis
covered that | occupied first place
in her affection but l knew that
her parents would never consent to